Technicote in Cuyahoga Falls to unveil expansion after 2011 fire

Published: January 4, 2013 10:57PM

Technicote will unveil its expansion after a 2011 fire with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. at their plant and Cuyahoga Falls headquarters, 70 Marc Drive. After a fire in December 2011, the owners of Technicote were faced with a difficult decision -- rebuild or find another site. The local manufacturer decided to rebuild and expand its operations in Cuyahoga Falls.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 16, 2011, a fire erupted during a routine process change on one of Technicote's machines. There were no injuries, however, the fire destroyed most of the building. As soon as the fire was detected, the Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department and Development Department were on the scene. "A small portion of the building was not affected," according to Mayor Don L. Robart. "And knowing that Technicote wanted to keep their operations going, we immediately began working to restore power to the undisturbed portion and made sure the area was a safe work environment."

Over the next few months, Technicote began to analyze its alternatives to accommodate its manufacturing needs. "After evaluating numerous options in various states and sites, we concluded rebuilding at our current location in Cuyahoga Falls was the best option," said Doug O'Connell, Technicote president. "We were anxious to retain our experienced workforce, since they are one of the keys to producing the unique products we offer. Another factor was that the city of Cuyahoga Falls has been great to work with throughout this process."

Less than 12 months after the fire, Technicote's operations are up and running. The new 45,800-square-foot addition brings an investment of more than $10 million, retains 40 jobs and will create 12 new full-time jobs at that location. "We are thrilled that Technicote decided to remain in our city," said Cuyahoga Falls Development Director Susan Truby. "This project was a huge collaborative effort with various city and county departments, as well as the Greater Akron Chamber -- proof that public-private partnerships work. It's not just about a project, it's about the people and our community."

Technicote operations were back to full capacity by the fourth quarter of 2012.

For more information, visit the city's website at www.cityofcf.com or contact the Community Development Department at 330-971-8135.